The Scottish Government says it will make a 'like-for-like' £100 energy payment to almost two million households in Scotland, after the Chancellor, John Healey, urged Swinney to pass it on. It also accuses Healey of a real-terms cut of around £650m to its block grant in 2027-28, the Scotsman reports.
"The Scottish government will ensure that households in Scotland will benefit from the one-off £100 payment for energy bill support, however, it is clear that the measures announced today fall far short of the action which is required."
Ms Gilruth, who the Scotsman says is also the Finance Secretary, spoke to journalists at Holyrood. The £650m figure has not been independently checked. Scottish Labour leader Michael Marra welcomed the commitment.
The Scotsman's report also adds detail on the money. It says Healey gave the £2.6bn as the cost of paying £100 to households in council tax bands A to D in England. It describes the further £600m for the Scottish Government as covering the next three years.
That differs from Healey's earlier account, in which the devolved governments would receive a share of the £2.6bn. If the Scotsman is right, the £2.6bn is England's cost alone. That would explain the £0.6bn gap in Healey's earlier figures. It would also mean the £600m for Scotland is separate money and is not drawn from the £2.6bn.
In the Commons, Healey said the payment would "give people of all nations in the UK breathing space on their energy bills this winter".